About the campaign
Mark 31 July 2007, 12:05PM
In their bid for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese Government made a commitment to human rights. They promised to remove some of the tight controls currently restricting freedom of expression.
"By allowing Beijing to host the Games you will help in the development of human rights"
Liu Jingmin, Vice-President of Beijing Olympic Bid Committee, April 2001 .
It is now only weeks before the Games kick off and human rights abuses in China are getting worse - not better.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to help create a more transparent society in China. Freedom of expression is a universal human right, and Amnesty International believes the Games can be used as a positive step towards creating a society in China that upholds basic human rights.
In Australia, our campaign will challenge the Chinese system of internet repression. We want to see freedom of expression in China. We would like citizens everywhere to have the same access to the information tools as we do.
We also want to make sure any reforms made for the Olympics remain in place long after the Games are over.
Amnesty's Uncensor microsite
For more information, daily blogs, links to actions, case studies, videos and photos visit our Uncensor microsite.
There's lots to do at Uncensor. Have your say on the issues of the day, join the Facebook cause, sign the anti-censorship pledge or do your own Search For Freedom - and there's plenty more.
In more detail
Our focus will be on online censorship. Restricting the internet helps China continue to hide abuses like the death penalty, torture and the persecution of human rights defenders. We believe that transparency is one of the first steps to creating a society that upholds basic human rights.
Expressing your opinion in China can result in jail, torture and death. People are silenced and what happens in China is clouded in secrecy. Amnesty International is focusing on four main areas in the campaign:
1. End online censorship
In China, access to information online is limited. Both foreign and domestic media is censored. Supporters of human rights, democracy, religious groups and ethnic minorities are silenced or fearful of expressing their opinions. Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! help the Chinese government to censor the internet. Read more
2. Death penalty
There is no transparency around the death penalty in China. The government considers it a 'state secret' and attempts to control what information is made public. In 2006 the government reported 1,010 executions, however the figure is thought to be much higher. 68 crimes in China are punishable by death, including non-violent and white-collar crimes. People can be executed without fair trial and after pleading guilt under torture. Read more
3. Torture in China
Torture is reported to be a common part of detention in China and is used as a means of coercion and punishment to control people. Religious and ethnic minorities, supporters of democracy and human rights advocates are all targeted by authorities. Systems of detention enforced by police and not the courts deny people any right to appeal. These systems lack transparency. Imprisonment, mistreatment, torture and the death penalty often occur without the person receiving a fair trial. Read more
4. Persecution of human rights defenders
Harsh laws and vague definitions of 'crime' mean that thousands of people in China are imprisoned for defending basic human rights. Lawyers, peaceful protesters and ordinary citizens who support democracy are all at risk. Laws and practices like surveillance, house arrest and intimidation create a culture of oppression where people are frightened to speak out and will be punished if they do. Despite this there are many people who still pursue freedom and basic human rights. Read more
About the Author
This blog entry was created by Mark and does not necessarily represent the position or opinion of Amnesty International Australia.
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After long-term imprisonment for speaking publicly about human rights issues, Wei Jingsheng was finally released with help from Amnesty International.
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